Liverpool v Manchester City: Team news

Liverpool can welcome Mohamed Salah back into the squad to face Manchester City on Sunday, but the game comes too soon for Jordan Henderson and Alberto Moreno.

The Reds’ top scorer returned to training this week following a groin injury that ruled him out of the 2-1 victories over Burnley in the Premier League and Everton in the FA Cup.

“If nothing happens in this moment, Mo is back, he is training completely normally,” Klopp said of the CAF African Player of the Year and Standard Chartered Player of the Month for December.

Daniel Sturridge joined his teammates at Melwood in the build-up to the meeting with Pep Guardiola’s side, who are unbeaten in all 22 of their top-flight fixtures so far this term.

“He is healthy and on the way to be fit again,” said Klopp.

Henderson and Moreno are unavailable for selection as they continue to recover from respective hamstring and ankle injuries sustained in December.

Virgil van Dijk made his Liverpool debut in the FA Cup third-round tie with Everton last Friday and marked the occasion with a memorable winning goal at the Kop end.

The No.4 is not guaranteed his maiden Premier League start for the Reds against City, however.

“I didn’t make a decision so far if he is ready for that,” the boss explained. “The long-term for sure, the short-term, I don’t know, but the good thing is that all the other three boys [Ragnar Klavan, Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip] are in a really good shape so that in this moment, if nothing else happens, then I should sleep OK thinking about that problem.”

Vincent Kompany is likely to sit out the game and the leaders remain without Gabriel Jesus, who scored twice in the reverse fixture earlier this season, due to a knee ligament injury.

“I think it will be a good game. Hopefully we can do better than last season. That is our target, and to show courage,” said Guardiola in his chat with the media.

“This kind of game shows how your mentality is. Life goes on the next day. We just need try to and play our game, play with personality and to play who we are.”